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How to save for a down payment on a home: part II

Last month we explained how to save for your down payment. Now that you’ve done that, it’s time to focus your plan.You already know that purchasing a home is a substantial investment, and you’ll need to ensure you can afford the monthly mortgage payments. You’ll also need to save up enough money for a down payment and other associated expenses, such as closing costs.

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While you don’t always need to supply a larger down payment due to programs and resources now available for qualified borrowers, the higher your down payment is, the better it is for future finances. Your monthly mortgage payment will be lower and you may qualify for better rates or terms.

A larger down payment allows you to retain full ownership of the home faster and can save you a substantial sum of money through lower interest rates affixed to mortgages.

Determine a goal
You should take a look at your finances to determine what kind of home is affordable. A financial expert or mortgage loan consultant can help figure out the best budget for your current financial situation. In addition, online calculators can estimate how much house you can afford. Also, a mortgage loan consultant can look at pre-approving you for a home loan to help determine which loan type you prefer or are qualified for, if mortgage insurance will be required and give you an idea of how much the closing costs and total monthly payment will be.

You can also reach out to real estate agents in the area to ask about the average listing and selling prices of homes in different neighborhoods you’re considering. If you know you want to move to a specific area and homes typically sell for $300,000, you can use that information to tailor a down payment goal specifically to that amount. So, a 20 percent down payment, which is on the high end of the recommended 5 to 20 percent down payment, would equal $60,000.

Do a credit check upDuring the pre-approval process, you will be able to have your credit score reviewed to see if there is room for improvement. Be sure to go off of this new credit score since many consumer scores you see on websites are not the same as what a lender uses.

Find ways to save
We also recommend automatically putting a portion of your paycheck into your savings account. You’ll miss the money less if you don’t get a chance to see it in your checking account in the first place!

Another way to boost a savings account is to work more hours/shifts (for hourly employees) or take on another job. Temporarily increasing total income will help you reach your goal and supply a proper down payment for a dream home.

You can cut down on a number of extra expenses in order to start building up savings, just like you would with any savings goal. Eating dinner out, heading to the movies every weekend and purchasing coffee every morning can really add up.

When saving money for a down payment, you should make a list of all expenses that are required, such as rent, food, clothing and monthly bills. All other extra expenses should be listed in order from most to least costly. By cutting out the most frivolous expenses and trimming the fat from there, you can develop a budget that saves a substantial amount of money.

In addition, replacing certain costs with less expensive ones can help significantly. Here are some ideas for cutting your current living costs:

Cancel cable and invest in a more affordable streaming service

Create your own vending machine stash of snacks at your desk instead of visiting the machine once a day, save $1/day or $20/month

Brew your own coffee, save $4/day or $120/month

Cut back on one restaurant visit per week, save $25/week or $100/month

Drink glasses of ice water instead of new bottles of water (an environmental choice, too!), save up to $1/day or $30/month

Carpool once a week, save $6/week or $24/month

Skip one impulse buy, save $40/month

Cancel your home landline phone service and just use your cell phone, save $50/month

We don’t expect you to adopt all of those suggestions while you’re saving for your down payment (actually, you probably have a few creative ideas of your own that didn’t make our list). However, if you did incorporate those short-term cuts into your life, you could save $400+ a month and $5,000+ a year!

How do you plan to save for your down payment?

When you click links marked with the “‡” symbol, you will leave UMB’s website and go to websites that are not controlled by or affiliated with UMB. We have provided these links for your convenience. However, we do not endorse or guarantee any products or services you may view on other sites. Other websites may not follow the same privacy policies and security procedures that UMB does, so please review their policies and procedures carefully.

Jackie Ahumada is a mortgage loan officer with UMB Bank. She has more than 10 years experience in the mortgage industry and more than 18 years in management of customer service delivery and operations.

Rising rental rates encourage homeownership

The 2015 Rental Market Report conducted by Rent.com showed that rates for apartment units are likely going to continue to increase.

The 2015 Rental Market Report conducted by Rent.com showed that rates for apartment units are likely going to continue to increase. The survey gathered responses from more than 500 property managers in the U.S. to determine the current and forecast state of the rental market.

Rent will riseAccording to the survey, 53 percent of property managers indicated they would prefer bringing in a new tenant and charging a higher rate over negotiating a lease renewal with a current tenant.

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In addition, the survey showed 88 percent of managers raised rent in the last year, and 68 percent of participants believe rates will continue to rise into the next year. Many expect rent to rise by an average of 8 percent, which is a 2 percent increase from the expected rent rise predicted in 2014.

“Rising rents are motivating Americans to purchase a home,” said Scott Haymore, Head of Pricing and Secondary Markets. “With an improving job market and economy, renters are gaining more confidence in the housing market and starting to explore homeownership as a feasible option.”

Mortgages may be more appealingMany current renters are seeing substantial increases in the rent they regularly pay, which is making them more interested in becoming a homeowner. The survey indicated the breaking point for many consumers deciding to transition from renting to buying is when their rent reaches $1,100 per month. The average monthly rent currently sits at $1,000 making the breaking point for many individuals very close.

Many renters have already experienced substantial increases in the rent they pay each month. More than 50 percent of respondents indicated their rents increased by nearly $300 in the past two years.

The American DreamOwning a home is still a critical component to the American Dream. Almost 60 percent of consumers and 76 percent of millennials indicated it was “extremely” or “very important” to own a home in the TD Bank survey.

While 51 percent of respondents indicated money is the primary concern when it comes to purchasing a new home, the average surveyed renter was able to save more than $50,000 for a down payment, and 24 percent of millennials have saved $100,000. The ability to save is the true key to homeownership.

“We can see from our data that rents are rising, and while many renters feel that saving for a home is out of reach, there are other options they should consider,” said Haymore. “Today, potential buyers can take advantage of state and government affordability programs, which offer options outside the traditional 20 percent down payment. This enables them to pursue homeownership, build equity and still feel comfortable with their monthly payments.”

Saving for a down paymentGathering the funds to save for a down payment on a new home requires dedication. According to Zillow, hopeful homeowners will want to first establish exactly how much money is needed to pay for the perfect house. Reaching out to a real estate professional will help to get a better idea of what the current local market looks like and whether buyers or sellers have the advantage.

In addition, contacting a mortgage lender can help an interested buyer figure out what can be expected from the entire lending process. If a consumer wants to secure a lower interest rate, he or she may want to provide a larger down payment.

Once it’s been decided how much is needed to invest in a new home, interested borrowers should examine their current spending habits. Budgeting downfalls can lead to issues when saving for a down payment, but fixing these issues will help hopeful homeowners reach their financial goals even faster.

Another way for interested buyers to build their savings for a new home quickly is by earning more cash to contribute to funds. Individuals can get a second job for a certain amount of time, or they can figure out a way to turn a favorite hobby into a profitable one using websites like Etsy or Facebook as a marketing platform.

Holding a garage sale is another way to increase savings and build a down payment fund. Decreasing the number of items that must be moved will also be beneficial when it’s time to pack everything up and relocate.

The Overlooked Cleaner Energy Source for Home and Office: Ground Source Heat Pumps

Everyone has heard the energy saving benefits of solar and wind power but did you know ground source heat pumps (GSHPs) can save you up to 45 percent on your energy consumption compared to conventional HVAC systems. How do we know this? Experience. In 2004, UMB installed a vertical ground source heat pump system consisting of 12 wells at our branch location in Grandview, Mo. According to Roy Allen, who is part of the UMB maintenance team, the Grandview location saves approximately 21,000 kWh per month over similar sized banking center locations. With such great savings on energy UMB has decided to install a second system at another banking center as well. Construction for this new center should begin in February 2016.

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In addition to saving energy and money GSHPs are good for the environment since they are a cleaner source of energy using mostly ambient heat from the ground while using very little electricity.

How Ground Source Heat Pumps Work
So how do these systems provide cleaner energy and help you save on your utility bills? Air temperature can fluctuate greatly with the seasons and even daily, with daytime highs and night time lows, but surprisingly ground temperature remains relatively constant. Conventional air-source HVAC systems attempt to capture heat from frigid winter air as well as disburse heat into the baking hot summer air – which is no easy task. However ground source heat pumps work by capturing the neutral heat absorbed at the surface of the Earth, it then heats the air in the winter and then extracts the heat from inside air in the summer. This is done through a water solution that flows through pipes (wells) buried in the ground that circulates the heated water to the home/office in the winter and then it is reversed in the summer whereby the heat is extracted from the air and transfers it via water through the pipes removing the heat from the building and transferring it to the ground.

Types of SystemsThere are four basic types of GSHPs including horizontal, vertical, pond/lake which are all closed loop systems. The fourth type is the open loop system. The option you choose is dependent on the climate, soil conditions and the available land. UMB banking centers utilize the vertical option. This option is used when soil is too shallow for trenching, it also does not require a lot of space. Roy explained the system only takes up a 70 ft. x 100 ft. space and contains 12 wells at a depth 500 ft. It is located under the drive through teller lanes. He said both the current and new systems, designed by Lankford Fendler and Associates, have life time warranties on the wells. Another benefit of the system is that it is very low maintenance.

So the next time you are looking for a cleaner energy source for your new home or office you may want to consider ground source heat pumps.

Ms. Shahane is a Vice President Healthcare Marketing/Sustainability Manager for UMB. She is responsible for managing marketing initiatives for UMB’s healthcare payments, HSAs, and benefit card products. In addition, she leads the UMB Green Team and promotes UMB’s internal sustainability initiatives. She joined UMB in 2001 and has 13 years of experience in the financial services industry. She earned a MA in Marketing from Webster University. She is a volunteer for Bridging the Gap and serves on the board for Northeast Neighbor to Neighbor.

How to save for a down payment on a home: part I

Purchasing a home marks a significant milestone in your life. We’ve already shared with you the 5 steps to buying a home, but what about before you even begin that process? While searching for the perfect property and finally finding the dream home you’ve been looking for is exciting, saving up the money for a down payment can be a bit daunting.

If you’re interested in purchasing a home, there are a few details to consider. Understanding the process can help immensely when deciding to purchase a home and set aside money for this substantial investment. As an interested buyer, you can become more focused when you know what to expect and how much money to contribute toward ownership of a home. Consider speaking to your trusted mortgage consultant to provide guidance early to help determine what kind of down payment you will need to provide.

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The purpose of providing a down payment
Buying a home often involves acquiring a home loan to afford the purchase. This translates into monthly mortgage payments over the course of a set amount of time, during which you pay and become a full owner of your property. Because it is a loan from a mortgage broker, bank or lender, interest is also applied to the amount of money borrowed. So if you purchased a $100,000 home, you would actually pay more because of the interest rate affixed to the mortgage.

A loan serves a fantastic purpose in allowing homeownership to be more attainable for everyone, but fluctuating interest rates may drive individuals to refinance or put off purchasing a home to save more money.

This is the primary purpose of giving the seller a larger down payment when buying a house. If you can supply a larger down payment, you are more likely to be approved for a home loan. You will not have as much to pay off and may even increase chances of obtaining a lower interest rate.

Low down payment options
There are programs available that allow individuals to qualify for a home loan despite only being able to provide a small down payment. Government-sponsored enterprises, such as Fannie Mae‡ and Freddie Mac‡, can provide an interested homebuyer with a 3 percent down payment option‡. However, higher interest rates and other requirements are put in place to help protect the lender. Gifts from family members are also allowed, but check with your loan officer to see what guidelines may apply.

An FHA-backed loan protects a lender in case a borrower is unable to continue with his or her mortgage payments. By providing this insurance, qualified buyers who have a difficult time providing a larger down payment or have a lower credit score due to debt accumulated during his or her education can still become homeowners.

Another way the amount of your down payment can affect your total monthly payment is when mortgage insurance is added, often referred to as PMI (private mortgage insurance)‡. For example with conventional loans, PMI may be required if you don’t put down at least 20 percent. This protects the lender if the borrower should default on the loan. Even if you put less than 20 percent down, the mortgage insurance cost is lower if you put down 5 percent rather than 3 percent or even lower with a 10 percent down payment rather than just 5 percent.

Additional costs to consider
Before someone decides to start saving up money, knowing how much to save is a crucial factor one must contemplate. Working with a trusted lender can help guide you and provide information to help determine what loan will be best for you and how much of a down payment will be required. According to U.S. News & World Report‡, a buyer will not pay merely the agreed selling price, but also will need to designate funds for additional expenses such as:

Closing costs

A home inspection

Taxes

Appraisal fee

Credit report fee

In addition, some purchases may require a homeowner’s association fee to be paid as well as private mortgage insurance. Buyers should account for these expenses when creating a budget and starting a basic savings account for this exciting purchase.

When you click links marked with the “‡” symbol, you will leave UMB’s website and go to websites that are not controlled by or affiliated with UMB. We have provided these links for your convenience. However, we do not endorse or guarantee any products or services you may view on other sites. Other websites may not follow the same privacy policies and security procedures that UMB does, so please review their policies and procedures carefully.

Jackie Ahumada is a mortgage loan officer with UMB Bank. She has more than 10 years experience in the mortgage industry and more than 18 years in management of customer service delivery and operations.

Choosing the Right Mortgage Partner

The housing market continues to show signs of improvement. If you’re looking to buy or move to your next house in life, it’s important to choose the right mortgage partner. Here are some tips to help you as you navigate this long-term financial plan.

How to use a home equity line of credit

We’ve walked you through the steps to buying a new home. Before you finished unpacking, we’re guessing you already started a list of improvements and additions to give your new home a personal touch.

Reports like this one‡ show that you’re not alone. Today, home improvement is becoming a growing trend for many American homeowners. Much of this growth is attributed to a rebound in the housing market and the highest consumer confidence scores since 2008.

So should you tackle a home improvement project?

Whether it’s updating your bathroom or adding more space to accommodate a growing family, improving your home can be a fun experience and a strategic method of increasing its fair market value. Research has shown that adding a deck and turning your attic into a bedroom raise the most value‡, returning approximately 85 percent of your original investment.

If you are considering making a home improvement, using a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to borrow against the equity in your home may be a good solution for financing the project. With today’s low interest rates and steady rise in home prices, you may have greater opportunity to borrow against your equity.

Some advantages:

You can make purchases with a HELOC debit card. Using the card is an easy and efficient way for you to pay for needed items.

The flexibility factor – the home equity line is something you can access as many times as you need to, as long as the credit is available. But remember to be disciplined with your spending. If you would like to use the equity in your home for a purchase, the wisest thing to do is use it for investments that help retain or add value to your home.

Give yourself an additional level of comfort by seeking counsel from your banker or financial advisor. This person is experienced in carefully reviewing all the home equity options to ensure you have the appropriate financial resources to complete your project in the most strategic way possible.

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When you click links marked with the “‡” symbol, you will leave UMB’s website and go to websites that are not controlled by or affiliated with UMB. We have provided these links for your convenience. However, we do not endorse or guarantee any products or services you may view on other sites. Other websites may not follow the same privacy policies and security procedures that UMB does, so please review their policies and procedures carefully.

Ms. Michelle Nischbach joined UMB in 2010. As Territory Sales Director in the consumer bank, she is responsible for overseeing operational and advisory excellence within five primary operating markets: St. Louis, Greater Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Arizona. Ms. Nischbach has 26 years of experience in the financial industry and earned her MBA from Lindenwood University.

5th Step in Buying a Home – Loan Approval and Closing

Whew…you’re almost to the finish line. Now that you have a contract, the only thing left besides the packing and unpacking is to get approved on a loan and attend the closing.

Once you have an accepted contract it is time to contact your mortgage loan officer (the one you worked with when you were pre-approved) and start the process for loan approval. Your contract should allow for at least 30-45 days for you to get loan approval and close on your new home.

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When you click links marked with the “‡” symbol, you will leave UMB’s website and go to websites that are not controlled by or affiliated with UMB. We have provided these links for your convenience. However, we do not endorse or guarantee any products or services you may view on other sites. Other websites may not follow the same privacy policies and security procedures that UMB does, so please review their policies and procedures carefully.

Jackie Ahumada is a mortgage loan officer with UMB Bank. She has more than 10 years experience in the mortgage industry and more than 18 years in management of customer service delivery and operations.

4th step to buying a home: searching & making an offer

Good! Then it’s time to start house hunting. As a mortgage loan officer for the last 10 years, I certainly have a lot of knowledge in real estate, but still always refer to experienced realtors for this next step. Their knowledge of the housing market, along with expertise in real estate contracts, are the key to making the best selection of the property in which you could spend at least 5 years (but for some of you, potentially the rest of your life). I referred to Anita Trozzolo, a Kansas City realtor to give us some guidance for this next step.

Create a priority list

You are making perhaps the biggest purchase of your life, and you deserve to have that purchase fit both your wants and needs.

Your priority list should include the basics, such as:

neighborhood and size

number of bedrooms and bathrooms

basement (finished or unfinished)

a kitchen that comes with appliances

If you can’t get a home at your price with all the features you want, then what features are most important? Start prioritizing. For instance, would you trade fewer bedrooms for a finished basement? A longer commute for a larger home and lower cost?

What type of home best suits your needs?

You have several options when purchasing a home from a traditional single-family home, duplex, townhouse or condo. Each option has its pros and cons, depending on your wants and needs, so you need to decide which type of property is best for you. You can also save on the purchase price in any category by choosing a fixer-upper. Keep in mind, though, the amount of time and money involved to turn a fixer-upper into your dream home might be much more than you expected.

Regardless of your choice, it’s important to target your search. By using options such as general location and affordability, you can refine your search and focus on homes that offer the most desirable features. However, based on my experience with the hundreds of first time home buyers for whom I successfully found and negotiated their first home, it is imperative to nail down location first. The majority of buyers purchase homes from their choices in their most desired location.

Here are some more tips for your search:

Make sure your realtor understands your wants and needs.

Your agent must be patient, and show you as many homes as you would like to see. This is most likely the largest purchase of your life!

Have your agent set you up on an automatic home search program. This is an efficient way to guide you in your search.

Drive through neighborhoods on your off time to check out the area.

Choose your favorites before submitting an offer, and tour as many times as you feel comfortable. Oh, and don’t forget to bring parents and friends. The more eyes the better!

Submit an offer, and most importantly understand the sales contract. Your agent will assist you with the following:

To determine how much to offer, your realtor will show you a market analysis of all the recent sold properties comparable to the home or homes you’re interested in.

Obtain all material defects known from the seller through the seller’s agent.

Discuss types of insurance that is required.

Counsel you on what price to offer the seller.

Make sure closing costs are explained and negotiated.

Make sure home warranty is explained and negotiated.

Explain the sales contract and all other forms associated with the contract.

Present your offer to the seller.

Negotiate your offer and counteroffers.

Set up inspections.

Provide the contract to the lender and closing company.

Stay in constant communication with the lender.

Arrange and attend the closing.

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When you click links marked with the “‡” symbol, you will leave UMB’s website and go to websites that are not controlled by or affiliated with UMB. We have provided these links for your convenience. However, we do not endorse or guarantee any products or services you may view on other sites. Other websites may not follow the same privacy policies and security procedures that UMB does, so please review their policies and procedures carefully.

Jackie Ahumada is a mortgage loan officer with UMB Bank. She has more than 10 years experience in the mortgage industry and more than 18 years in management of customer service delivery and operations.

3rd step to buying a home: finding the right realtor

Who better to continue our journey of Steps to Buying a Home than our associates, Natalie Crumpton and Josh Cummings, UMB Unit Finance Managers, whose expert realtor guided them while on HGTV’s House Hunters‡?

Natalie shares their story along with advice for finding the right real estate agent.

Last summer we spent a lot of time looking at potential new homes online. At the time, we were living in a one bedroom condo in downtown Kansas City and were both ready to transition into something a little bigger we could call home. We began by searching different real estate databases, slowly narrowing homes down by the must-haves on our list: an open kitchen, a band room for Josh’s drums, a deck for entertaining and a spacious backyard for our new puppy.

Once we established our budget and wish list, we reached out to our realtor, Monte, who had been Josh’s real estate agent a few years ago and helped him to pick out the one bedroom condo we were living in at the time. What we loved about Monte (and still do) was how committed he was to making sure we found the right home (in the right location, for the right price) that suited both of our needs. He was patient, flexible with our schedules and always willing to go the extra mile as our realtor. So it came as no surprise when he was more than willing to accommodate another one of our requests: to let a camera crew follow us around and document our journey for national TV.

House Hunters

Here’s how it happened: It became somewhat of a tradition to turn on HGTV on Saturday mornings and watch House Hunters while we were searching for homes online. We would take turns discussing what we liked and didn’t like about each house and try to guess which one the couple would actually choose. So once we decided we were ready to buy, Josh applied for the TV show online on a whim, assuming it was a long shot. It came as a shock to both of us when one of the producers contacted us a few weeks later to tell us they were interested in filming an episode in Kansas City. After a few more phone calls and interviews, a camera crew was sent our way to document us on our home-buying adventure.

Along for the ride (and steering the wheel), was our wonderful realtor Monte; who not only went above and beyond what we expected from a realtor, but he also made the home buying experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. With Monte, we felt like we were with a family member that genuinely cared about us as people, rather than just a real estate agent that was seeking a quick commission. He always had our best interest in mind and was passionate about making sure we found the perfect home. We’re very grateful for the experience; both for the opportunity to be on House Hunters with footage to look back on of the first home we bought together and for having a realtor like Monte to share it with and make our transition as smooth as possible.

What to look for in a realtor

When choosing the right realtor, make sure to consider the following qualities:

Integrity and candor

Understanding of what you are looking for in a home

Knowledge of the local housing market

Quality references and connections

Detailed knowledge of the purchasing process

Strong work ethic and passion for job

Flexible to your schedule and time frame

Committed to exceeding your expectations

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When you click links marked with the “‡” symbol, you will leave UMB’s website and go to websites that are not controlled by or affiliated with UMB. We have provided these links for your convenience. However, we do not endorse or guarantee any products or services you may view on other sites. Other websites may not follow the same privacy policies and security procedures that UMB does, so please review their policies and procedures carefully.

Ms. Crumpton is an AVP/Unit Finance Manager for UMB. She is responsible for financial support in the Operations & Technology Group. She joined UMB in 2007 and has 7 years of experience in the financial services industry.

HGTV’s House Hunters features Kansas City UMB associates

Do you love the show House Hunters‡? A couple of our associates were featured recently and plan to share some insider house-hunting tips on the blog later this month to continue our “Steps to Buying a Home” series. In the meantime, catch their episode tonight on HGTV at 10 p.m. CST.UMB Unit Finance Managers Josh Cummings and Natalie Crumpton with their realtor, Monte Boultinghouse

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When you click links marked with the “‡” symbol, you will leave UMB’s website and go to websites that are not controlled by or affiliated with UMB. We have provided these links for your convenience. However, we do not endorse or guarantee any products or services you may view on other sites. Other websites may not follow the same privacy policies and security procedures that UMB does, so please review their policies and procedures carefully.

UMB Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: UMBF) is a diversified financial holding company headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., offering complete banking services, payment solutions, asset servicing and institutional investment management to customers. UMB operates banking and wealth management centers throughout Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arizona and Texas, as well as two national specialty-lending businesses. Subsidiaries of the holding company include companies that offer services to mutual funds and alternative-investment entities and registered investment advisors that offer equity and fixed income strategies to institutions and individual investors.

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